MLS Ticker: Diaz, Acosta out for a while; Sapong, Zizzo, Collin to sit; and more

If FC Dallas are going to continue their ascent to the top of the Western Conference, they’re going to have to do it without both Mauro Diaz and Kellyn Acosta for an extended period of time.

Both players are dealing with injury issues, and Diaz’s injury status is generating plenty of attention after a tweet by an FC Dallas-area journalist claimed he will miss the rest of the season due to a meniscus injury. FC Dallas has refuted the report, and haven’t even put Diaz on the team’s injury report ahead of Saturday’s match vs. the New York Red Bulls.

Meanwhile, Acosta, who has started five games this season for the club, is projected to miss 6-12 weeks, according to dallasnews.com, with an avulsion fracture of his left kneecap. According to head coach Oscar Pareja, the injury was picked up last week during a training session.

Here are more notes from around MLS:

SAPONG, ZIZZO, COLLIN TO SIT SUNDAY

Sporting Kansas City are set to host the Columbus Crew this weekend, but the defending MLS Cup champions be handicapped by the absence of two key players.

Both Sal Zizzo and C.J. Sapong will miss this Sunday’s action with injuries, dealing a major blow to the Sporting KC attack. Zizzo is recovering from a hamstring injury, according to kansascity.com, in which he “felt a pull” Saturday.

Meanwhile, his logical replacement, Sapong, who returned to training for solo drills this week, is also set to miss out. Sapong has been sidelined since March 22 with soreness in both his neck and back.

Sporting KC will also be looking to cope without starting centerback Aurelien Collin, who will miss this weekend’s match due to a suspension stemming from a red card issued in last week’s loss to New England.

ROWE RETURNS TO TRAINING

After missing five straight matches, the New England Revolution’s Kelyn Rowe looks to have finally found his way back onto the field.

The Revs midfielder, who missed just one game last season, returned to training this week after dealing with hamstring injuries in both legs. Rowe’s return to game-action against Toronto FC over the weekend remains questionable, but head coach Jay Heaps said that Rowe’s return has already provided an emotional boost.

“He wants to play, he’s competitive,” Heaps said according to MLSSoccer.com. “This injury, you can tell, has really bothered him because he’s been away from the group and not playing. … [But] he’s really flying right now. It’s good to have him back in the mix.”

RAPIDS ANNOUNCE FIRST SHIRT SPONSOR

After years with uniforms featuring nothing but the club’s badge, the Colorado Rapids have announced the club’s first-ever shirt sponsorship deal.

The Rapids announced Thursday that the club has partnered with global telecommunications company Ciao Telecom to be the club’s first-ever jersey sponsor. Jerseys with the Ciao Telecom logo will debut in Saturday’s match with the LA Galaxy.

“This is an incredibly important partnership for Ciao, and we’re honored to become a part of the Rapids and Kroenke Sports family,” said Don Pinkston, President of Ciao North America. “The Rapids are a successful, fast-growing club with local and national relevance and we could not think of a better company and platform to align with as we launch our company in the U.S. As we develop our product line, especially relating to the fan experience at sports venues, the chance to work closely with Kroenke Sports & Entertainment is a phenomenal opportunity.”

Hamilton, 18, signed with Toronto FC on January 9, 2014, becoming the ninth player in club history to sign for the first team from the Academy. Hamilton was named to Toronto FC’s 18-man squad three times this season. He made his Toronto FC and Major League Soccer debut on April 12 against Colorado, coming on as a substitute in the 89th minute.

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How will FC Dallas and Sporting KC cope without their missing pieces? Expect Rowe to play this weekend? What do you think of the Rapids’ sponsor?

8 Responses to MLS Ticker: Diaz, Acosta out for a while; Sapong, Zizzo, Collin to sit; and more

Not great news for Dallas, but I think we’re one of the deeper sides in the league so while we will miss the spark and creativity that Diaz brings, expect to see Jacobson and Hendry anchor a more defense oriented midfield on Sunday. With the pace that we’ve got on the wings and the stellar hold up play of Blas, I wouldn’t be surprised to see a longball/counterattacking style being implemented against NYRB.